The medical devices industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by increased need for homecare, preventative treatments, early diagnosis, reducing patient recovery times and improving outcomes, as well as a growing importance in technologies such as machine learning, augmented reality, 5G, and digitalization. In the last three years alone, there have been over 450,000 patents filed and granted in the medical devices industry. , according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Medical Devices: Tissue reconstruction implants. Buy the report here.

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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity. 

Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have. 

150+ innovations will shape the medical devices industry 

According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the medical devices industry using innovation intensity models built on over 550,000 patents, there are 150+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry. 

Within the emerging innovation stage, neurostimulation therapy, smart physiotherapy devices, and real-time IR thermographic imaging are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Precision radiotherapy, electric atomisers, and bio-active prosthesis coating are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are bioresorbable stent coating and cryogenic tissue treatment, which are now well established in the industry. 

Innovation S-curve for the medical devices industry 

Tissue reconstruction implants is a key innovation area in the medical devices industry 

Tissue reconstruction involves the surgical process where natural tissues from one part of the patient’s body are used to reconstruct the target area. Also known as flap surgery, this is typically considered if the patient’s body has excess usable, healthy, or live tissue to be utilized for the procedure. Tissue reconstruction implants are preferred as patients need not get them replaced from any other site or be worried about breaking or damaging the implants. 

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies.  According to GlobalData, there are 40+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established medical devices companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of tissue reconstruction implants. 

Key players in tissue reconstruction implants – a disruptive innovation in the medical devices industry  

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators. 

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’. 

Patent volumes related to tissue reconstruction implants

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Johnson & Johnson 177 Unlock Company Profile
Medtronic 159 Unlock Company Profile
Stryker 114 Unlock Company Profile
Zimmer Biomet Holdings 112 Unlock Company Profile
Geistlich Pharma 43 Unlock Company Profile
Baxter International 43 Unlock Company Profile
Albemarle 31 Unlock Company Profile
GreenBone Ortho 28 Unlock Company Profile
Straumann Holding 24 Unlock Company Profile
EW Healthcare Partners 23 Unlock Company Profile
Dentsply Sirona 22 Unlock Company Profile
Vivex Biomedical 20 Unlock Company Profile
B. Braun Melsungen 19 Unlock Company Profile
curasan 19 Unlock Company Profile
Orthofix Medical 19 Unlock Company Profile
Globus Medical 17 Unlock Company Profile
SINTX Technologies 17 Unlock Company Profile
Hoya 16 Unlock Company Profile
Bio2 Technologies 16 Unlock Company Profile
Cam Bioceramics 15 Unlock Company Profile
HD LifeSciences 14 Unlock Company Profile
Heraeus Holding 14 Unlock Company Profile
Surgalign Holdings 14 Unlock Company Profile
OrthoMedex 11 Unlock Company Profile
Advanced Numed Technologies 10 Unlock Company Profile
Umtb Biomedical 10 Unlock Company Profile
Orthorebirth 8 Unlock Company Profile
Waldemar Link 8 Unlock Company Profile
Promimic 8 Unlock Company Profile
Spinal Elements Holdings Inc 8 Unlock Company Profile
Collagen Matrix 8 Unlock Company Profile
AlloSource 8 Unlock Company Profile
Theradaptive 7 Unlock Company Profile
NuVasive 7 Unlock Company Profile
Beijing Chunlizhengda Medical Instruments 7 Unlock Company Profile
regenHU 7 Unlock Company Profile
Teleflex Medical 7 Unlock Company Profile
Episurf Medical 6 Unlock Company Profile
LifeNet Health 6 Unlock Company Profile
Accentus Medical 6 Unlock Company Profile
Osaka Yakin Kogyo 6 Unlock Company Profile
Spiber Technologies 6 Unlock Company Profile
SpineSmith Holdings 5 Unlock Company Profile
Royal DSM 5 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Johnson & Johnson is one of the leading patent filers in the field of tissue reconstruction implants. Some other key patent filers in the field include Medtronic, Stryker, and Zimmer Biomet Holdings. 

In terms of application diversity, regenHU leads the pack, followed by Zimmer Biomet Holdings and Theradaptive, respectively. By means of geographic reach, GreenBone Ortho holds the top position, followed by Geistlich Pharma and Promimic in the second and third spots, respectively. 

Several surgical procedures, majorly involving breast reconstruction, open fractures, trauma cases, and, in rare situations, cleft lip and palate improvement, consider the tissue reconstruction process. Factors such as the rising incidence and prevalence of breast cancer and the introduction of new techniques that do not involve pain or long recovery time will be driving factors for this market.  

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the medical devices industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Medical Devices

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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.